Atlanta is a city that has been forged on the anvil of strife， that’s risen from the embers of the Civil War. It is a city with traditions both genteel and gritty， a place that is rising up out of its past to bring out the best of human endeavor. It is the quintessential Southern American city. Some might even call it the capital of the South， although plenty of Southerners from elsewhere would argue that point. There’s no denying， however， its place at the heart of the American story. Diverse and determined， Atlanta demands to be explored and understood on its own terms.

亞特蘭大是一座經(jīng)歷戰(zhàn)爭錘打、誕生于美國南北戰(zhàn)爭余燼中的城市。這座城市兼具優(yōu)雅和勇毅的傳統(tǒng)，從過往中振奮而起，將人類奮進不輟的精神發(fā)揮到淋漓盡致。這是一座極具代表性的美國南部城市。有人可能甚至稱其為美國南部之都，雖然美國南方很多其他地方的人并不贊同。而有一點不可否認，那就是亞特蘭大在美國歷史敘事中的核心地位。亞特蘭大文化多元，人民百折不撓，其本身就是一個需要我們探索和了解的城市。

To get a sense of its historic importance， it pays to start at the Atlanta History Center， home to one of America’s most fascinating artworks： the Atlanta cyclorama. This epic painting， created by 17 German artists in Milwaukee in 1886， depicts the Battle of Atlanta， a pivotal moment in the war between the North and South. Forty-nine feet tall， weighing in at 10，000 pounds and longer than a football field， it’s the 19th-century equivalent of an IMAX cinema and no less dramatic. Painted to create the illusion of being never ending， it’s an immersive experience， putting the viewer right in the middle of the battlefield.

要了解這個城市的歷史地位，先去亞特蘭大歷史中心看看能收獲不少，那里有美國最引人入勝的藝術(shù)品之一：亞特蘭大環(huán)形全景畫。這幅壯麗的畫作于1886年由17位德國畫家在美國的密爾沃基市繪制，描繪了亞特蘭大戰(zhàn)役的場景，那是美國南北戰(zhàn)爭中一個關(guān)鍵節(jié)點。整幅畫高49英尺，長度比一個橄欖球場還長，重達1萬磅，是19世紀版的巨幕電影，而且精彩毫不遜色。繪畫效果令其看上去無邊無際，給人一種身臨其境之感，仿佛就置身于戰(zhàn)場上。

“The artists did a good job of simulating scale and fooling the eye， making you think that there’s more going on than there actually is，” says Gordon Jones， a Civil War expert who has spent his life studying the cyclorama. He points towards the realistic rendering of General Sherman， his likeness copied from a photograph of him on his horse， Duke.

“畫家們出色地描繪出戰(zhàn)場的廣度，騙過了觀眾的眼睛，讓人覺得正在發(fā)生很多畫面里沒有的事情。”戈登·瓊斯說道，他是美國南北戰(zhàn)爭領(lǐng)域的專家，一生都在研究這幅亞特蘭大環(huán)形全景畫。他指向畫中的謝爾曼將軍，畫得很逼真，形象取材于他的一張照片，照片上謝爾曼將軍騎著他名叫公爵的戰(zhàn)馬。

Jones explains that when it was first painted in Milwaukee， the Atlanta cyclorama was designed to depict the Union’s victory over the Confederacy. However， when it came to Atlanta， it was recast as showcasing “the only Southern victory ever painted.” That despite the North winning the bloody battle when it took place in July 1864.

瓊斯解釋道，最初在密爾沃基創(chuàng)作這幅環(huán)形全景畫時，本來想描繪的是北方聯(lián)邦戰(zhàn)勝南方邦聯(lián)的場景，而當這幅畫到達亞特蘭大后，它被重新解讀為唯一的南方獲勝場景畫作，盡管事實上是北方在1864年7月那場血腥戰(zhàn)役中取勝。

The cyclorama offers visitors to Atlanta the chance to understand how the Civil War figures into the city’s history， more than 150 years on. “The Civil War is really part of the DNA of not only Atlanta， but all of the South，” says Jones. “It happened here on our soil， in the backyards of everybody who’s living here now. But it’s also super important because it defines the history of the United States from this point forward， particularly when it comes to matters of race， politics， economics， social justice.”

這幅環(huán)形全景畫讓來到亞特蘭大的游客有機會了解到，150多年來美國南北戰(zhàn)爭如何成為這座城市歷史的重要組成部分?！澳媳睉?zhàn)爭不僅在亞特蘭大切實留下深刻的印記，對整個美國南部來說也是如此，”瓊斯說道，“戰(zhàn)爭就發(fā)生在我們這片土地上，這里各家各戶現(xiàn)在的院子都是曾經(jīng)的戰(zhàn)場。但這場戰(zhàn)爭至關(guān)重要還因為它勾勒了從此以后的美國歷史，尤其是在種族、政治、經(jīng)濟和社會正義等問題上?！?/p>

The fight for racial justice

為種族正義而戰(zhàn)

The consequences of Civil War can still be felt now and were especially resonant during the 1950s and 1960s， as the Civil Rights movement grew and spread across the entire country. By the middle of the 20th century there were two Atlantas， one black， one white. It was in the former where the driving force for change in America came from. Martin Luther King Jr. was born in Atlanta on January 15， 1929. And whatever national or global influence and change he was able to effect， it was based on the values that he learned in this city.

南北戰(zhàn)爭的影響時至今日仍然可以感受到，尤其回響激蕩在20世紀50和60年代，當時民權(quán)運動興起并波及全美。到了20世紀中期，亞特蘭大分成了黑人社群和白人社群，而美國國內(nèi)變革的主導力量正來自于黑人社群。馬丁·路德·金1929年1月15日出生于亞特蘭大。無論在美國國內(nèi)還是世界其他地方，他引起了怎樣的影響與變革，都基于他在亞特蘭特這座城市建立起來的價值觀念。

Xernona Clayton was part of the movement that King led from Ebenezer Baptist Church. She first walked into that hallowed place in 1965 and became close with the man himself， seeing firsthand the change he was trying to enact as well as experiencing the prejudice that was the catalyst for much-needed change. “Black people had restrictions and I ran into it every place I went，” she says. “Ran into it. And it just hits you. Not in the face， but in the gut， because you know you’re not responsible for what you look like. I don’t want to be judged by what I look like.”

金在埃比尼澤浸禮會教堂發(fā)起運動，女演員澤諾娜·克萊頓參與其中。她第一次到這個圣地是在1965年，自此便與金成為了親密伙伴，親眼目睹他努力推行變革的過程，也親身經(jīng)歷了針對黑人的種種偏見，這些偏見正是催化劑，促進了亟待進行的變革?！昂谌丝偸鞘艿较拗疲业侥膬憾寄苡龅竭@種事，”克萊頓說道，“每次遇到，都讓人很痛，不是表面的痛，而是扎心的痛。因為膚色不是自己能決定的，所以不希望別人僅憑膚色來對我進行判斷?！?/p>

Clayton was close with King’s wife Coretta. But beyond her relationship with the Kings， Clayton was and is a pioneer in her own right. She helped to desegregate Atlanta’s hospitals and in 1967 became the first black woman to host a prime time talk show in the South. At 90 years old， the fire within her still burns. “The philosophy of the hospitals needed to be changed. I’ve done a lot of things to help make that change，” she says. “But I was working with a man who said; ‘Do what you can. All the time. Change a man’s heart and you can regulate his behavior.’ That’s what I heard Martin Luther King say all the time.” Today， Clayton is an Atlanta icon， with strangers coming up to her in the street to thank her for her years of work.

克萊頓也是金的妻子科蕾塔的密友。但她不僅是這對夫妻的好朋友，克萊頓自己從過去到現(xiàn)在都是一位先行者。她幫助亞特蘭大的醫(yī)院消除種族隔離，1967年成為美國南部黃金時段訪談節(jié)目的首位黑人女性主持人?，F(xiàn)在的克萊頓已90歲高齡，內(nèi)心仍充滿激情?！搬t(yī)院的運作理念需要變革，為了讓這一變革得以實現(xiàn)，我做了大量工作?！彼貞浀?，“但曾經(jīng)與我共事的人說過，‘要時時刻刻全力以赴。要先改變一個人的心思，進而調(diào)整他的行為。’這個人就是馬丁·路德·金，我總聽到他說這句話?！比缃瘢瑵芍Z娜·克萊頓已成為亞特蘭大的一位偶像，走在街上，會有素不相識的人過來向她道謝，感謝她多年來的付出。

A city that loves to eat

愛吃的城市

Atlanta is a city where history is inescapable， whether it’s the battles of the Civil War or the ongoing fights for racial justice and equality. And that proximity to its traditions extends to its food too. Mary Mac’s Tea Room is the place to be for the city’s finest Southern fried chicken. The name is a misnomer. When Mary Mackenzie opened it in 1945， women were not allowed to own restaurants so she skirted that rule by billing it as a tea room. However， the iced tea she served came with a side of Atlanta’s best fried chicken.

認識亞特蘭大，就繞不開它的歷史——無論是南北戰(zhàn)爭期間在這里發(fā)生的多場戰(zhàn)役，還是為取得種族公平正義而不斷進行的斗爭。這種與歷史傳承的關(guān)聯(lián)也延伸到亞特蘭大的美食上。要說哪兒能吃到最棒的美國南部特色炸雞，那肯定是瑪麗·麥克茶屋了。茶屋之稱名不副實，創(chuàng)辦人瑪麗·麥肯齊1945年開店，但當時不允許女性開設(shè)餐廳，于是瑪麗宣稱其為茶屋，由此避開了這項規(guī)定，而她提供的冰茶會配上亞特蘭大最美味的炸雞。

Jeff Thomas and Ronnie Holt are two chefs skilled in creating this most quintessential of Southern dishes. And Thomas has the key to ensuring perfect chicken every time. “The secret is having a love and a passion for cooking，” he says as he gets to work. “I watched my mom cook all the time. One thing that she’d always do when she cooked， she’d always hum and sing. I asked her， ‘Why you always do that？’ And she was like， ‘Cooking has to come from your heart， from your soul. If the soul is happy， then you’ll taste it in your food. You can’t come to the table with a mean soul.’”

在制作美國南部這一最具特色的美食方面，杰夫·托馬斯和倫尼·霍爾特二位大廚可是行家。托馬斯有自己的關(guān)鍵要領(lǐng)，保證每次都能做出香噴噴的炸雞?！懊卦E就是要熱愛烹飪，對它要有激情?！彼呎f邊開始工作，“以前我總是看媽媽做飯，有件事她總是做，就是邊做飯邊哼唱。我就會問：‘你做飯的時候為什么老唱個不停呀？’她是這樣回答的：‘做飯要全身心投入，如果心靈是快樂的，就可以從做出的食物中嘗到這份快樂，心緒不佳是不能在桌邊盡享美食的?！?/p>

Ronnie explains that it’s all about keeping things simple， rolling chicken in batter after it’s been seasoned with plenty of salt and pepper， before dropping it into the fryer. The results are， unsurprisingly， spectacular.

而倫尼解釋說，訣竅就是從簡，先把雞肉用大量鹽和胡椒粉腌制入味，接著裹上面糊，最后放入鍋中炸，這樣做出來的炸雞，味道絕對妙不可言。

To wash down these Southern delights， another Atlanta staple is required： Coca-Cola. No corporation has helped define the city like its biggest export. According to company legend the secret syrup was invented in 1886 by a local pharmacist， who paired it with carbonated water. It was then sold as a “brain tonic” to “relieve exhaustion.” Visitors can head to the World of Coca-Cola， where they can see how Coke went from “tonic” to iconic brand.

大快朵頤這些美國南部美食，要有配餐飲品，那就是亞特蘭大的另一特產(chǎn)可口可樂，它有巨大的出口量，沒有任何其他公司的產(chǎn)品更能代表亞特蘭大這座城市?？煽诳蓸饭居幸粋€流傳故事，據(jù)說這種秘制糖水是1886年由當?shù)匾晃凰巹熥龀鰜淼?，他在糖漿中加入了碳酸水，得到的產(chǎn)品當時作為一種“補腦藥”進行銷售，用于“緩解疲勞”。來亞特蘭大旅游的人可以去可口可樂世界逛逛，在那里能了解到可樂如何從“補腦藥”變成明星品牌產(chǎn)品的。

Everybody’s welcome

歡迎八方來客

Fortunately for those looking to work off all that delicious Southern cooking， Atlanta is a city that loves to spend time on the move. Those coming to Atlanta for the first time often call it a city in the middle of a forest. The sheer amount of greenery， especially during spring and summer， is breathtaking. Piedmont Park is a mecca for runners and cyclists， but it’s not just outdoor activities that are booming. One in particular has true devotees and a thriving culture in this corner of the South： roller skating.

吃飽喝足了美國南部的美食，就想運動運動溜溜食兒了，好在亞特蘭大就是一個崇尚體育運動的城市。第一次來亞特蘭大的人常常稱其為林中之城。尤其是在春夏兩季，綠色映眼，讓人嘆為觀止。皮德蒙特公園是跑步愛好者和自行車愛好者的圣地，但亞特蘭大人不僅僅熱衷于戶外運動，有一項體育項目在美國南部的這個地方特別受人追捧，還發(fā)展出了火熱的文化，這就是輪滑。

“People have all kinds of ideas about what they think Atlanta is or what it isn’t， but I just see people having fun，” says Brandon Butler， executive director of culture site Butter.ATL， looking out over the landmark Cascade Skating Rink. Butler is a keen skater and it shows. “The beautiful thing about this is， you don’t know what these people do，” he says. “Some of these folks could be doctors， lawyers. They could be waiters， but they’re all just coming together and just having a good time. Everybody’s equal because they’re all on skates. To me， this is just what Atlanta is. It’s just people coming together and just bobbing and having a good time in some really interesting places.”

“關(guān)于亞特蘭大是或不是一座怎樣的城市，人們的觀點各不相同，但我只看到生活在這里的人都很快樂?！蔽幕W(wǎng)站Butter.ATL的執(zhí)行董事布蘭登·巴特勒說道，他正望著遠處的地標式建筑瀑布旱冰場。很顯然，巴特勒是一位酷愛輪滑的人?！拜喕镊攘υ谟?，你不知道這些人是干什么的?！彼f，“他們可能是醫(yī)生，律師，餐廳服務(wù)員，但大家都聚在一起，享受快樂時光。輪滑場上，人人平等。我認為，這就是亞特蘭大，人們聚集到一些好玩的地方，一起找點樂子，度過愉快的時間?！?/p>

For veterinarian and skate instructor Latoya McNabb， enjoyment is key. “It’s about a vibe，” she says. “So you just come in here， you vibe out， you have a good time. That’s what it’s about in Atlanta. That’s why everybody comes here， because the energy is just on 1，000. It’s never a dull moment. You’re always going to see somebody doing something that’s a wow factor.” For both McNabb and Butler， skating is about community too. While plenty of skaters show off their skills， newcomers are not only welcomed， but helped by the regulars to stay on their feet and have fun.

拉托婭·麥克納布是位獸醫(yī)，也是位輪滑教練，對她來說，關(guān)鍵就是樂在其中?！拔说氖沁@里的氣氛，你到這兒來，放松身心，度過一段美好的時光。這就是亞特蘭大的特點，這里充滿活力，在這兒從不會覺得無聊，總能看到有人做著這樣或那樣讓人叫絕的事情，這就是人們紛紛來這座城市的原因。”對麥克納布和巴特勒來說，輪滑也意味著社交。輪滑愛好者們展示著各自的絕活兒，每當來了新手，老手們不僅很歡迎，還會帶著他們，教他們?nèi)绾位饋?，享受輪滑的樂趣?/p>

This sums up modern-day Atlanta， a place that， as the 1960s slogan goes， is “too busy to hate.” Much has happened here over the past 150 years. On the one hand， it’s steeped in Southern traditions， whilst on the other， it is a place at the forefront of change and progress. And progress is unquestionably a word that helps define Atlanta today.

綜上所述，這就是當代亞特蘭大，正如20世紀60年代的一條標語所述，這個地方的人們“忙到?jīng)]時間怨恨什么”。過去150年來，有太多的事在此發(fā)生，一方面，這里有著深厚的美國南部傳統(tǒng)，另一方面，這里也是變革和發(fā)展的前沿。而發(fā)展這個詞無疑可以很好地用來描述如今的亞特蘭大。